Hoplitis (Hoplitis) villosa (Schenck, 1853)

Hoplitis (Hoplitis) villosa (Schenck, 1853) View in CoL

Figs 4 View Fig , 10 View Fig E-F

SHORT DESCRIPTION: A medium to large-sized Hoplitis species. Females can be recognized by the orange-red scopa and the long bright-brown hairs on head, thorax and the first two tergites contrasting with the black hairs on the remaining tergites. Males have characteristic traits like a spine on the third sternite and flattened antennal segments and the last tergite is wide and undented. The species is oligolectic on Cichorioideae and Carduoideae ( Asteraceae ) ( WESTRICH, 2018; MÜLLER, 2018).

DISTRIBUTION IN EUROPE: High elevation habitats of Central and Southern Europe. No records from the United Kingdom ( ELSE & EDWARDS, 2018), but it has been found in France and

Germany ( SCHEUCHL & WILLNER, 2016). Only historical observations from the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg ( HERRERA MESÍAS & WEIGAND, 2021) and the Netherlands ( REEMER, 2018).

EU RED LIST STATUS: Least concern (LC) ( NIETO et al., 2014).

ORIGIN OF RECORDS:

- LIÈGE PROVINCE. BÜllingen; 1♀; 2.vii.2022; leg./coll. D. De Grave; det. D. De Grave, W. Vertommen - Fig. 10 View Fig E-F. Caught on Centaurea jacea .